All systems go for South Africa’s 5th democratic elections

South Africa’s electoral commission on Tuesday said it all is now set for the country’s fifth democratic elections set for Wednesday.  An estimated 25, 23 million voters will be able to cast their votes at more than 22 263 voting stations across the country.  The Independent Election Commission (IEC) chairperson, Pansy Tlakula said political parties could still campaign until midnight on Tuesday.

She went on to say, “No political event shall take place on voting day.  Voting day is on Wednesday and special voting days are not defined in law as voting days.”  On Monday and Tuesday close to 300 000 voters were expected to cast their votes in the special voting days for the elderly, infirmed and those who would away from their homes on election day.

Tlakula warned voters against taking pictures while voting saying the practice was illegal.  She indicated, “The law prohibits taking a marked photo of a ballot. No one is allowed to reproduce a photo of a marked ballot.”  Meanwhile, authorities said they would deploy thousands of police officers to ensure the safety of voters.

Police have identified several “hotspots” across the country.  On Monday a polling station was set alight in the Eastern Cape.  In Gauteng, public order police officers have also been deployed in so-called hot posts where violent service delivery protests have taken place.  Police say they will arrest anyone who interferes with people’s right to vote.  In the 2009 election, the ANC won 65.9% of the vote and the opposition Democratic Alliance won 17.5 percent of the vote.